


Animorphs October

by Bleck



Category: Animorphs - Katherine A. Applegate
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Gen, Kissing, M/M, Nonbinary Tobias, Trans girl Rachel, Underage Drinking, autistic tobias
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-23 01:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 16,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12494900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bleck/pseuds/Bleck
Summary: A collection of fics for a month of Animorphs prompts.





	1. Group Bonding

"What are we doing here, Marco?" Rachel asked, words dripping from her impatience.

"I might have a master plan." He said. "But it involves all of us being here for it to work."

"What's the mission?" She asked again.

"What part of 'all of us being here' wasn't clear?" 

"Marco, am I here for a mission?" She glared. Rachel had been here, in Ax's scoop, for ten minutes and Marco had been deflecting since she got here.

"Certainly! A glorious mission full of daring risks and great reward!" He grinned.

"Spit it out before you spit out teeth." 

"Yeesh. Get enough sleep?"

"No! It's fucking midnight on a Friday night, I should be sleeping. Why aren't you asleep? You're always complaining about not getting enough sleep." 

"Fiiiiiiine. Ruin the reveal. See if I care." He sniffed, all melodramatically.

<Drama queen.> I said from the perch Ax had put up for me.

"Shut up, bird brain." He said as he opened the fridge he convinced Ax to set up. With a flourish, he pulled out a bottle of fireball whiskey and a bottle of rum. "The mission: fun. For once in our lives, we're having some. A fun kind of fun. Dancing and karaoke."

Rachel's scowl disappeared. "Where the hell did you get those?" She was more intrigued than angry. That was good.

"I have my ways. Ignore that. More importantly, what song are you going to sing? I have mine all set. We also need to get Tobias here to sing. I know they want to."

"So you're going to get lyrics but I'm not? That kind of lowers the songs I can pick from."

"Not to fear. Ax has his ways. We've got the cd+g to display lyrics, you just need to pick a song. Ax is going to do something. It doesn't make any sense. But he says it should work." Marco said. "Now come on, get Tobias to sing. I'd love to see it." 

<I find human music distasteful but I will applaud for all of you.> Ax announced as he entered. <Especially you, my shorm.> 

<Thanks, Ax-man. But i'm so not singing. No way, no how.> I refused. <Oh, look, I'm a bird. Can't sing. How sad.>

"Please, Tobias?" Rachel asked. "It'll be fun."

"Don't forget dancing. Dancing is very important for fun." Marco said, unhelpfully.

<What about dancing?> Jake asked. A few seconds later he flew into view and landed on a couch cushion and demorphed on it.

"We're having fun, Jake. I know that's a weird concept for us lately and you for forever but still. Karaoke, dancing, and booze." Marco explained once Jake was human.

"Where'd you get alcohol?" Jake demanded, more angry than curious. The opposite of Rachel.

"I have my ways. So, karaoke. Pick a song and Ax will burn it. It'll be fun. I'm singing, Rachel is gonna sing, Tobias will."

"Really?" Jake asked, dubious.

"Totally."

<I am not doing that.> I told Jake.

"Yea, I don't think I am either." Jake told Marco.

"Hence the alcohol. It'll loosen you all up. Rachel, pick a song yet?"

"The Sign by Ace of Base." She said.

"I would expect nothing less, ok." Marco said. "Since we're only waiting on Cassie, let's open one of these. Any favorites?"

"The fireball is supposed to be good." Rachel said.

"I don't think any of us should be drinking." Jake frowned. "None of us are old enough."

"So we're old enough to be fighting an alien invasion but not to drink? We do more dangerous stuff every other day." Marco said. "And besides, regular soldiers drink even if they're not old enough. If the cops come, we'll have bigger issues to worry about than being charged with underage drinking. I'm not going to make you drink anyway. I will make you sing and dance though."

"That's worse." Jake said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"At least it isn't square dancing. Unless you want to. Actually, no. Even if you wanted to, I'm not letting you do that." Marco said.

Jake visibly almost died from the pain of that memory. "Definitely not that." 

"So since we got that out of the way, want some whiskey?" Marco asked. He tore open a package of red cups and poured some of the whiskey into three of them. He gave one to Rachel, one to Jake, and downed his. He choked. "Wow, ok. Ow. That burns. It was kind of good though."

"You're an idiot. Is there ice?" Rachel asked.

"Nope." Marco said.

"You're supposed to sip it. One drink an hour. Whiskey is best served on the rocks. With ice." Rachel said. "That's what my dad says anyway." She took a small sip from her cup. "It would taste better cold but it's not bad."

Jake looked at his cup like it might bite him.

"Don't be a baby. Drink it or give it to someone else." Rachel rolled her eyes at his hesitation.

Jake took a gulp and downed half of it. He frowned. "It's...different. I get what people mean when they say stuff is spiked."

"You're so lame. Why are we friends? You want some, Tobias?" Marco asked me. I was very aware of the fact that I was the only one he asked. 

<No.> I said. 

"What are you, McScreech the crime hawk?" He asked but he didn't pour another glass.

"Shut the fuck up, Marco." Rachel glared. She was definitely thinking the same thing I was- that my uncle was a drunk and I absolutely did not want to end up like him.

"Chill out. He said he doesn't want any and I'm not giving him any." In his own way, Marco understood. He wasn't going to press it.

<Sorry I'm late. Horses can't see very well but I wanted to go for a run.> Cassie said. We could hear the sounds of morphing outside Ax's scoop. It was a good thing she was morphing outside, it would have been tight with two large four legged species. "Why are we meeting here?" She asked as she came inside.

"Because we're having fun. I hope you know what that is." Marco said. "There'll be singing and dancing and alcohol to help those two things along. Pick a song and Ax will work his magic. After we have all picked a song, he'll burn a cd and put it in the karaoke machine."

"That sounds fun. Is everyone singing?" Cassie asked. She was looking at Jake.

"I'm trying, Cassie. I'm trying." Marco moaned. "I'm definitely singing because I know how to have fun. Rachel is singing. Jake and Tobias are holding out on us and Ax hates human music. I need your help to explain fun to them."

Cassie giggled. "Maybe we should just start with music and dancing and build up to singing?"

"A brilliant idea! See people, fun." He poured some whiskey in a cup and gave it to Cassie.

She sniffed it and made a face. "Probably not." She put it on the small table Ax had. "What songs can we pick from?"

"Any. I'm going with Come as You Are since Tobias isn't the only one who likes Nirvana and Rachel has The Sign. But I've got a cd for background." Marco said. He went over to a portable cd player next to the karaoke player and pressed play. A song I recognized but couldn't actually remember started to play. I would've probably known it if I was still human.

"Ok, I actually love this song. And this movie." Rachel said, smiling. Whatever it was I could see why. It was upbeat and fun.

<What is it?> I asked.

"We Are Not Alone by Karla Devito. From The Breakfast Cub." She said.

<Oh! That's why I remember it. That was a great movie.> I said.

"We are not alone! 'Cause when you cut down to the bone we're really not so different after allllll." Marco sang along. He was moving but I wouldn't exactly call it dancing. His singing wasn't good either but karaoke wasn't really about being good. Marco was definitely having fun. 

<This does not sound pleasant.> Ax said.

"Yea, we know." Marco said, rolling his eyes playfully.

 <The message of camaraderie is one I appreciate though.>

"We should show you the Breakfast Club." Marco said.

<That's better than singing.> I said. <Especially your singing.>

"Oh shut up."


	2. Flowers

I had seen Rachel coming for a while, pretty inevitable when I had eyes that could see a blade of grass twitch from half a mile up. So I had registered that she had a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Which is probably why she was walking at all instead of flying to meet me like normal. 

"Hey, Tobias." She smiled up at me. She was so beautiful.

<Hey. So what'd you have planned for today?> I asked. Rachel assured me that flying together was great, she loved it, but she wanted to do something different this time. I had been nervous honestly, Rachel could get annoyed with me when I had to go demorph in the middle of a date. But she said it wasn't going to be like that this time.

"Well, first, you need to get down here and morph." She said, shifting the flowers from one hand to the other. I guess she wanted flowers on this date and figured that I wouldn't be able to give her any. 

"Hey." I said once I had a human mouth. Rachel gestured for me to sit down with her and smiled at me and my heart fluttered. I made my face smile back instead of just my eyes. "I could've gotten you flowers if you wanted them. Wildflowers or even ones from the store with enough warning." 

"Ha!" Rachel laughed, gold hair flying as she shook her head. "They're not for me, bird brain." 

"They're not?" I asked. That threw me for a loop.

"Why would I bring flowers for myself to a date?" 

"I dunno." I shrugged. It didn't make a lot of sense but nothing we did made sense anyway.

"Here." She said, holding them out to me. "They're for you."

I could feel my face get hot. "They are?"

"Of course they are. You hand picked flowers for me, buying them from the store can't compete with how adorable and sweet that is but you deserve something cute and romantic. I know I care more about that kind of thing so it's ok if you don't want them or whatever." Rachel said.

"No, I do. I just...didn't expect that is all." I said, taking the flowers into my lap. They looked nice, I wasn't sure what kind they were though. I brought them a bit closer to my face to smell them like I'd seen in movies, they were nice. "Thank you, Rachel. It means a lot."

I hadn't realized they did until that came out of my mouth. It felt really nice actually. Rachel was more vocal about what she wanted, about anything, but I used to daydream about stuff like this. Going on dates with someone and being disgustingly romantic with them.

"I like romantic stuff." I said. "I know we don't...mesh perfectly about exactly what we want on dates but sitting with you here, being close, and the flowers to, it's nice." I smiled and Rachel grinned.

"Awesome." Rachel said, scooting over so our thighs were pressed right up against each other. She wrapped one arm around my stomach, resting her hand on my hip. It sent a shiver down my spine that she definitely noticed. "Cute." 

"Thanks." I said, blushing.

"Want to know what the second part of the date is?" She asked, breath hot on my ear.

"Sure." I gasped. It felt really good.

"Me kissing you." Rachel's lips met mine, fierce and hot. One hand was still on my hip and the other tangled in my hair, the hand on my hip urged me closer and she pushed her way under me so I was sitting in her lap.

"I don't really know what I'm doing." I told her when she broke it off.

"It's ok. It is ok, right? The kiss?"

"Yea. Yea, that was good." I nodded. 

"Cool." She smirked. 

"One second." I said, moving the flowers out from between us and putting them off to the side.

"I guess I should bring flowers more often." She said, kissing my cheek.

"You can do that." I said. 

Rachel kissed me again.

 


	3. Pride

The first Animorph that Tobias came out to was Rachel and, if some hypothetical person asked him, Tobias would say she was the first person he came out to. But that wouldn't actually be the truth. The first person Tobias came out to was, at the time, the father he had never met.

Tobias had always known that he was bisexual and it came with the knowledge that other people didn't want him to be. So he never told anyone, least of all his uncle who constantly called him names or his aunt who didn't call him names but always had an angry word or rant about anyone she thought was 'different'.

"Hey, Dad." Tobias had said with tears in his eyes, curling up on his bed with Dude at the end of it after he got back from school. After being beaten up for the millionth time and after a history class about the black plague which had focused more on AIDS and how many people had died so far and were dying. "I know I don't really know you or what you were like or what you'd think of me or anything really. I just, I need to tell someone before I explode. So, since you're not here and I can imagine you'd be ok with it, it's safe to tell you." 

He took a breath and got up to make sure his door was locked. His uncle wasn't back from work yet but he still wanted to be sure. He'd never said the words out loud before and doing it would make it real, Tobias didn't know what he would feel after he did.

"I'm bisexual." He said, wiping his tears away. They were tears of relief, relief from the weight that had at least for now left his shoulders. "I like boys and girls. I..." 

The next breath he took was shaky but he thought he felt good so he pushed his nerves back down. "I have a crush on a boy right now actually. I hope you'd be ok with that, Dad." 

Tobias was answered by silence. He broke it by letting himself cry twelve years worth of feelings out into his pillow and didn't stop until he fell asleep.

Tobias dreamt of blue fur and happiness and peace.


	4. Shopping

"What?" Rachel snapped at the old woman. The lady had been staring at them while she tried to pick out a lipstick for Tobias and she was getting sick of it.

"Ugh." She scoffed and left the aisle.

"What about this one, babe?" Rachel asked, holding up another one. It was a pink a few shades brighter than their lips were.

"I guess." Tobias shrugged.

"I want to get you something you actually like, Tobias. If you don't want it then we won't get it, it's not hard. We don't have to find something in this store either." Rachel said, entwining their fingers so the two of them were holding hands again.

"Ok." They said. They wanted to find something they liked but there were just so many options in this one section of this one aisle that it made their head spin. How did anyone find anything? Immediately after they thought that, a color caught their eye. 

"What about this one?" Tobias asked, holding up a dark purple tube of lipstick.

"Maybe, let's find out." Rachel said, uncapping it and running it on the underside of their wrist. "Hmm. I think it's a bit too dark. A lilac might be better." 

"Sure." Tobias said, grabbing a lilac colored lipstick and placing the other one back. There was a large lilac bush near their meadow and usually they just noted the view but sometimes they picked some for Rachel and enjoyed the scent.

"Oh, that's a lot better." Rachel grinned down at their arm after she applied another lipstick dash. "This is going to be perfect on you, cutie."

"Thanks." Tobias blushed. Rachel had been complimenting them a lot, it was really nice but they blushed every time. Tobias thought that Rachel liked their blush almost more than actually complimenting them.

"There's a sale on sweaters at the Gap, want to see if we kind find you one to match?" Rachel asked, smiling and grabbing their hand again.

"I think i'd prefer to steal yours if I needed one but we can look." Tobias made sure they were smiling.

"I'll keep that in mind, pretty bird." Rachel kissed their cheek. "I should teach you how to morph lipstick."

"That sounds fun." Tobias said as Rachel lead them to the checkout counter. 

On the way there, Tobias passed a mirror and saw that Rachel had left a kiss mark from her lipstick on their cheek. 

Tobias left it on.

 


	5. First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the sixth prompt but the fifth chapter because I never wrote anything for that day.

Tobias shifted awkwardly on Marco's couch, it was his first time being here and he was definitely feeling awkward. Not exactly uncomfortable per se but awkward. They were just playing video games, Marco was winning of course since Tobias hadn't played a video game in months and had only ever played arcade games before, but it was their first time doing anything as a couple so technically it was their first date. He had brought flowers which made Marco laugh. Marco's dad told him that he appreciated the gesture before giving them space.

"I'm kicking your butt but you're still better at this game than Jake is." Marco snorted as he crossed the finish line.

"Ok." They were playing some kind of car racing game but Tobias didn't exactly see the point. Well, he saw the point, it was a race, but he didn't think it was very fun. Galaga was better. 

"Do you wanna watch Star Trek instead?" Marco asked as he turned the Playstation off.

"Star Trek sounds good, yea. What's that Star Trek idea you mentioned? Something about the Federation?" Tobias asked, shifting around again so he could try and get comfortable. It was difficult though, the couch was softer than the branch he was used to. It didn't smell like booze or cigarettes though and that was definitely better than the last couch he had sat on.

"Yea. My idea is that it's in the future."

"Yea. Modern day would be odd."

"Shut up." Marco said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, the Federation gets broken up by the Dominion with like three ships left and it goes from there."

"Cool. I always thought that the Federation was too easy." Tobias said.

"You and me both." 

"What do you think of Kirk and Spock? Like, as a couple?" 

"What do you think?" Marco asked, bumping his knee against Tobias'.

"I like it." Tobias said. His stomach flipped as Marco put his hand on his knee. 

Marco looked up at him and ran his thumb over his thigh which made breathing hard. "I like it." The shorter boy said.

"Cool." Tobias said, strangled. Marco hadn't moved his hand and Tobias was flustered. When did Marco get decent at being on a date?

"Cool. Now let's watch The Wrath of Khan."


	6. Parents

A GIFT. The Ellimist proclaimed, appearing in Elfangor's quarters as the man that he had been once before.

Before Elfangor could laugh, a bitter laugh with no joy but still a laugh, he received the Ellimist's gift. And was racked with pain he hadn't felt in years, not since he was taken away from his son's life. It was Tobias' birthday- he was ten earth years old, a milestone that Elfangor knew was important from his too brief time on Earth.

Elfangor wanted to scream or to cry or both but he could do neither like he wanted to do. He wanted to rage as a human or, better yet, have been able to raise his child like they both deserved. 

YOU DO NOT APPROVE, ALAN FANGOR?

<Do not toy with me!> Elfangor shouted, as futile a gesture as any would be. He'd known for the past ten years that he was a pawn in the Ellimist's game, the creature wasn't just going to stop because he said so.

The creature laughed like Elfangor expected. 

THE GAME IS NOT YET OVER. Then seriously, as seriously as a creature who was literally playing a game with the universe could be, he continued. YOU HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR CHILD.

<I remember. The five lines that join his, Aximili's amongst them.> Elfangor said, icily. He paced around his quarters, lashing his tail in agitation. Fury battled with a wave of fatherly emotions inside him. He was furious he wasn't there to raise Tobias like the both of them deserved but pleased that he could impact him so far away. Years had passed since he had dictated the letter to be read by Tobias in a few years time and Elfangor wished he could change it. At the time the words were true, he could only hope to have loved him. But years of missing Loren and Tobias had changed his mind, he loved him as much as he loved Loren and hoped Tobias would be able to understand.

HE IS A POINT ON WHICH A TIMELINE MIGHT YET TURN.

<That will not change his thoughts of me. To be thrust into a war he and his friends will not understand by his father. Perhaps it will. Perhaps he'll grow to hate me, if he doesn't already for abandoning him and his mother.> Elfangor sighed. He deserved it, regretted it every second he had time to think but deserved it nonetheless.

FIGHT WELL, ELFANGOR, AND YOU WILL GET TO SEE YOUR CHILD YET. 

The Ellimist disappeared as soon he came, likely the exact second with the power that he had.

Elfangor didn't care.

<Oh, Tobias. My hearts ache for you and your mother. I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry I couldn't raise you like I wanted to. I wish we could celebrate your birthday together.> Elfangor sighed. He couldn't cry anymore but he could imagine himself crying as Alan Fangor. <I love you so much, my child. You and your mother mean the world to me. I hope one day I can tell you both how much I love you."

 


	7. Snacks

"Oh, these are wonderful!" I exclaimed with happy mouth sounds once I had swallowed the sweet, crunchy, morsels. "What are they, lovely?"

"They're toffee covered peanuts." Loren smiled at me and I couldn't help but return the expression, I had yet to see anything as beautiful on earth as Loren's smile. Though there were some things on the Homeworld that might match it. But I had learned to not say things like that except in jest.

"They're very good. Much better than regular peanuts. Almost like pralines but not quite." I said before I bent down and kissed my wife's shoulder. We were sitting on our couch, or more accurately I was sitting on our couch and Loren in my lap, while watching the television and eating the delicious toffee covered peanuts.

"Yea, pretty much. Pralines are pecans and these are peanuts." Loren said, alternating between watching the television and myself.

"Yes. Perhaps there is a recipe in one of your mother's books, I will look as I prepare dinner later."

"We don't have any peanuts." Loren reminded me before kissing my cheek.

At first I had been alarmed by humans who said they melted after or during a kiss. Melted! But no, thankfully it is just a human expression. I understood it after kissing Loren many times. Melting was a good thing.

"We could go shopping for peanuts." I joked. Going to the store for one thing in an emergency was understandable but it was better to shop for everything you might need at once to save time.

"Yea, we could do that. Let's go right now, we're not busy. It's just a MASH rerun." Loren said, sliding off my lap and taking a handful of toffee covered peanuts in her mouth to eat. She would not store them there like I had seen squirrels do. 

"We were just at the store two days ago, we do not need peanuts that badly." I said as I got up anyway. 

"Sure, we don't need them but it sounds fun. Like it'll be a huge mess in the end but fun anyway. We can take the mustang."

"Well, the peanuts are very good." I said.

"Ha! As if you don't want to break the speed limit. The peanuts are just icing on the cake." That was a joke, peanuts are not icing. 

"They can go very fast." 

"Oh, I'm aware." Loren smiled. Se had not been very happy the first time she had tried teaching me to drive according to earth law.

"I love you, Loren." I smiled and kissed her knuckles.

"I love you to, Al. Maybe I can show you just how much after dinner." She grinned and I grinned back at her.

Today was going to be very nice.


	8. Before

"Hey, Toby." Jason sneered and shoved Tobias into a bank of lockers. Tobias wanted to run but there was no way out, Jason's goons made sure of that. It was a risk to take a lesser used hallway but there had been a chance that no one would see him. Tobias had been extremely wrong.

"We've missed you lately, you avoiding us? I thought we were friends. That hurts, Toby. It hurts a lot, skipping out on your friends like that. I guess i'll just have to show you how much." Jason laughed and the others joined in, snickering at what they'd do Tobias. 

Before Tobias could cry out, Michael shoved his hand over his mouth. He couldn't make a sound even if it would do anything this time. Tobias was trying really, really, hard not to cry before they did anything. He knew it was stupid to run, to avoid each of their daily torments, but Tobias was beyond sick of it- he had just wanted a few hours of peace. Peace from bullies at least, his uncle was another story. But Jason knew that, he used that.

With a nod from Jason, Michael grabbed the smaller boy by an arm and started to walk him towards the boy's bathroom. 

"Mmph!" Tobias tried to scream but it was muffled by the hand over his mouth. The hand that held him might as well have been an iron shackle but he tried to wiggle out anyway. It worked as well as he figured it would which made him even more desperate. He bit down as hard as he could on Michael's finger.

"Ah!" He shouted, letting Tobias go in the haze of pain. 

Tobias bolted, ran as fast as he ever had. Faster than the one time he had accidentally spoken up in class to prove Rick Stathis wrong earlier in the day which had made the much bigger boy very, very, angry. Faster even than the one time Dude ran out the front door and was almost hit by a car. Tobias didn't think he could run faster than that. He might even have been more scared now. Distantly, though they weren't that far away, he heard Jason yell.

It had been a huge mistake to stay after but Tobias didn't think everybody that hung around Jason would be after to. But Mr. Feyroran has said that if Tobias stayed after 'for extra help' they could watch a movie and he wouldn't have to go back to his uncle's right away. Tobias didn't trust many adults but he liked him. He was nice.

Tobias wanted to run right back to Mr. Feyroran's classroom because Jason and his goons couldn't do anything there but if Tobias missed the bus he would have no way to get to his uncle's and he really didn't want to walk all the way. So Tobias booked it to the bus, half way there but out of breath already.

And that's when he saw Jake. Tobias almost cried from relief on the spot. Jake had saved him from getting a swirly from Michael and Ryan a week ago and Michael might've been bigger than Tobias but Jake was just as big and more well liked by other kids. It would cause a scene if they tried anything with Jake around. Tobias just had to get his attention.

He didn't even have to call out, apparently the sound of worn out sneakers slapping against the floor was loud enough for Jake to turn around. 

"Tobias?" Jake asked, eyebrows raised as he came running.

"Jake! Can...I...walk with...you...to the bus?" Tobias panted, bent over and clutching his knees. He really wasn't built for running.

"Uh, yea, sure. Are you ok?" Jake asked. Tobias moved a lot: he flapped his hands, shook his leg, scurried from one room to another, slunk in a crowd to hide. But he didn't run.

Tobias shook his head as he tried to catch his breath. 

Before he could answer properly, Jason and his group caught up with them.

"Hey, Jake." Jason nodded with the cool and casual act that got teacher's to like him or overlook his group.

"Jason." Jake said. Tobias wasn't sure because he didn't get people, and he was exhausted already, but it seemed like Jake wasn't impressed.

"We need to talk to Tobias real quick. Won't take a second." Jason lied.

"Uh huh." Jake said, crossing his arms and looking down at Tobias who was still red in the face and barely breathing. 

Tobias noticed as Jake stood up a little straighter. He slouched a lot, maybe to make himself look more friendly or whatever. But standing up straight he looked bigger than Michael.

"I don't think Tobias wants to talk to you." Jake said.

"Aw, no. It's not like that. Toby likes us. Tell him, Tobes."

"Tobias doesn't like to be called anything but Tobias." Jake stated. Or maybe warned, Tobias wasn't sure.

"We'll see you later, Toby." Jason said, scowling at Jake as he and his friends turned around and walked away. 

"Thank you." Tobias said after he could talk again.

"No problem." Jake said as they walked to the buses.

"Thanks." Tobias wanted to tell Jake that it meant a lot, that he owed Jake big time, but none of that came out. Not even as Jake walked him safely to his bus even though he might be late for his own.

"Hey, we're headed to the mall after school on Friday if you want to come. Probably leave around seven or something." Jake offered.

"Cool." Tobias smiled.

"Cool. I'll see you there." Jake smiled.

Tobias waved as he walked on his bus and sat down. He was definitely looking forward to Friday.

 


	9. No War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in The Life Deserved 'verse.

"Tom here was thinking about joining the military after high school." Steve said, nodding his head in his eldest son's direction. "You were in the military, right Al?" 

"Yes." Alan said in between sips of his lemonade. Tobias and their friends were upstairs in their bedroom and he only planned on having the one so this particular lemonade was hard. 

"Any advice, Sir?" Tom asked from across the table, drinking a regular lemonade.

"Don't." 

"Don't what?" Tom asked.

"Don't go. Don't join. It will be the worst decision you will ever make, no questions about it. You're not serving your country, protecting freedom, or defending anyone's rights bar the ruling class' perceived right to raid and plunder and ruin other countries. Don't do it. I won't let you, actually." The former soldier said to Tom, firm and resolute. Then he turned to the boy's father. "Steve, you're a doctor. You took an oath 'If it is given me to save a life, all thanks.' You'd be breaking it by sending your child to kill, to take life which will hang on your head and his. You are to provide warmth and sympathy, do you do any of that by allowing or encouraging the death of children which will surely scar your own?" 

Alan, at some point that he didn't realize, had stood up. He found himself shaking slightly and stilled his hands. "I will stand here all night and through until the morning if that is what it takes for you both to reconsider this catastrophic failure of thought. I made that mistake. I'm lucky to be where I am today but others are not. Others are dead. To breathe no more, to never laugh or cry or watch a movie or take a drink of lemonade or tell their family how much they are loved. To never scream at the injustice they witness or do anything about it. Dead. Do you understand me, Tom? Dead. If you must do something bigger than yourself, become a doctor like your father or a writer like your mother."

Tom swallowed. Sure, he'd thought about what he might have to do but he had reasons. Maybe good ones. "Sir, I understand-"

"No, you don't. I hope you never do." Alan cut him off, voice brittle and clipped.

"Ok, you're probably right, Al. He probably doesn't it. But-" Steve was cut off as well.

"A test then. If he fails, I will leave you two to whatever your decision is." Alan said. "Stand up, Tom. Come here."

"Uh, ok." Tom said, walking over to stand beside him. 

"Strike me." Alan insisted.

"You want me to punch you?" Tom asked, wide eyed. That was ridiculous.

"Yes. In the nose." 

"I can't do that." Tom said.

"Why not?"

"You haven't done anything!"

"And you think every kill you make will be someone who has done something against you? War is not neat. It is bloody and awful. There is no good war. Just? Maybe, maybe. But not good. Hit me!"

"I can't do that." Tom said.

"Why not?" Alan demanded.

"It'd be totally wrong!"

"And do you think you could stab me? Shoot me?"

"I know you though. You..." Tom trailed off.

"Finish the thought."

"I..." 

"Finish it." Alan ordered.

"You have a family." Tom said, small and quiet like he never was.

"Yes, I do. And so will other fathers and brothers and mothers and sisters and cousins and grandparents. Once you start thinking that that doesn't matter, that they aren't people because they've been labeled the enemy, you've lost. I will not allow either of you to ruin your life or another's."

"I'm glad to see you hesitate. That's a good thing. Do you see, Tom? Do you see why I can't let you make this decision?"

"Uh," Tom swallow. "Yea, I think so."

"Good." Alan sat back down and knocked back the rest of his lemonade. "Now go bother Jake and his friends like a good big brother."


	10. Comfort

"Prrrp." Dude called as soon as Tobias walked into his bedroom. The long tabby cat jumped off his desk and ran up to butt his head against Tobias' leg.

"Hey, Dude." Tobias attempted to smile but the bruise on his cheek made him wince instead. He sighed. "I can't keep doing this, Dude." The young boy dropped his book bag and fell on his bed. "Ugh."

Andy and Tap-Tap had cornered him in the bathroom again and he'd gotten punched in the face. Again. The only consolation that Tobias had was that it was Friday which meant his uncle was probably going to go straight to a bar after work instead of coming back. Tobias thought he might actually be able to make something to eat for supper that he actually enjoyed. He'd have to make sure to clean everything up and go to the bathroom while he was down there though, his uncle would definitely be drunk and Tobias really didn't want to add to the bruises.  

Dude joined Tobias on his bed and rubbed his cheek against his, falling over himself to lay down against him.

As much as Tobias wanted to stay miserable with his day, which had been just as awful as the past three, he couldn't be anything but happy with Dude playing with him. "Rrrgh, there you go." Tobias rolled the both of them over so he was on his back with Dude resting on his stomach. Hs scratched behind Dude's ear, the spot that he loved a bit behind his left ear that always drove him nuts. 

As soon as Tobias started to pet him, Dude began to purr intensely. Tobias smiled through the pain, Dude had his eyes closed and head raised and it almost looked like he was smiling to. With his free hand, Tobias ran his knuckles up and down Dude's chest how he liked.

Being a cat, Dude wasn't content for very long and began to walk around Tobias' chest. He smacked him in the face with his tail as he turned around to knead his stomach.

"Get your butt out of my face, doofus." Tobias said, reaching over and turning him around. "Just lay down." Tobias knew that cats couldn't actually roll their eyes but he got the impression that if Dude could have then he would. He kissed him on the little m of stripes on his forehead. "Your lucky you're cute. And that I can read cat body language. I don't understand people but I get you." 

Dude responded by folding his paws underneath himself and laying down. 

Tobias slow blinked at him and got a slow blink in response.

"I love you to." Tobias said.

 


	11. Sleepover

<You've morphed. Is everything alright, Tobias?> Ax asked me as he came into my meadow.

"Yea, it's fine now." I huffed. "A stupid owl decided he had enough rat." 

<Were the injuries serious enough that you needed to morph?> Ax asked.

"A little bit." I said. "It's not that big a deal." 

The owl had attacked me when I was sleeping and I was honestly lucky to still be alive. It got me in the wing and we had crashed out of my perch. Talk about a rude awakening. Even still, it's not like I wanted to kill it if I didn't have to so I morphed human to scare it away instead of hork-bajir. I was glad it worked, a starving owl against a human still wasn't that fair of a fight. But I didn't tell him any of that, Ax had actual things to worry about.

"What's got you up in the middle of the night anyway, Ax-man?" I asked. It was late and Ax usually didn't have any trouble sleeping. His scoop was far enough away that I doubted he would have heard the scuffle from there either.

<I am unsure, my shorm.> He said, looking at me in a way that I couldn't really describe besides deeply. I felt like he had more to say but neither of us are very good at talking about emotions so he just dropped it instead. <Would you like to stay in my scoop tonight?>

I honestly felt bad that I couldn't say yes immediately. I definitely needed to since it's not the first time this week that that owl has tried to have me for dinner and none of us needed that. And I even wanted to, I liked hanging out with Ax. We were shorms, the phrase best friend didn't compare with what it meant. But it was still difficult to say it.

"Soaps might not be on right now." I said instead.

Ax eye-smiled at me. <I am confident that These Messages will.>

"Yea, you're probably right."


	12. Lost

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" I asked. "I'm pretty sure we're lost." We'd been walking around the city and while Tobias had planned on needing to demorph before we got there, it was cutting  down on another hour left and that was kind of a lot of walking in this cold.

"No, we're not lost." Tobias said, shaking his head. "I'm sure I know where I'm going."

"It's ok if you don't, your view's a bit different right now." I said, keeping my voice low. We were in the middle of a very public, very crowded, street and it was always best to be careful.

"I know that. It's fine. This is definitely the right street." He said, turning around to smile at me with his eyes. His eyes were even cuter when he did that. Tobias grabbed my hand before an older guy could cut between us and the guy scowled at him. Tobias rolled his eyes then turned back towards me as he kept walking. "It's a lot of fun doing that." 

I smiled. Hawks couldn't roll their eyes so Tobias jumped on the opportunity to do it when he was human. It felt kind of weird holding hands in public, I was never sure how people were going to react and I didn't want anything to ruin our date.

"Oh." Tobias said, all of a sudden stopping outside a restaurant. It was most definitely not what he wanted to show me if the line of what were definitely club goers was any indication. 

"Are you sure we're not lost?" I asked, amused at his expression. He looked very confused.

"No, we're not lost. I just got turned around. But I know where we need to go." Tobias said, holding tight to my hand as he turned us around.

I was really surprised when Tobias suggested this date. It definitely wasn't flying and he had to morph to take me wherever he had in mind. I didn't mind or anything but it wasn't what he usually suggested. He wanted it all to be as much a secret as possible but he assured me I was going to like it.

"Are you cold?" I asked him. "That's, like, the fifth time you've shivered in the past ten minutes." Tobias had flown to meet me and while I remembered to bring shoes with his clothes, I had totally forgotten to bring a coat.

"It's fine, Jake. We're almost there. Honestly." 

"Do you want my coat anyway?"

"If you're not going to take no for an answer then yes, i'll take it." I wasn't sure if the red on his cheeks was because of the cold or embarrassment. It was a good reason to give it to him either way. Rachel had bought him some jeans that I kept at my place just in case and it was a good thing I did because he wasn't going to fit in any of mine. The shirt he was wearing was an old one of mine though since Tobias seemed to like stealing my clothes, it had the Thundercats symbol on it. Well, not stealing because he always asked but he had yet to give anything back. I hadn't actually told him to though.

I took my coat off and helped Tobias into it and tried very hard not to laugh at how much bigger it was on him. Mostly I succeeded. Mostly. Tobias just took it as an opportunity to roll his eyes.

"We're here." Tobias said after a few more minutes of walking, twisting around streets I don't think I even knew existed. No wonder we'd gotten lost.

We were standing outside a small, hole in the wall, bookstore. I think it was a bookstore but they had a lot of signs on the windows, symbols that were mostly unrecognizable to me. One stood out though, in the bottom right of the left window next to the door. A pink triangle. Tobias took a few minutes to demorph and morph back, once he was done he put my coat back on.

Tobias held the door open for me and we walked in. The first thing I noticed was that it was nice and warm inside. The second thing I noticed was that it smelled like coffee. The third thing I noticed was the counter with another gay couple getting coffee.

"What do you think?" Tobias asked, smiling an actual smile. 

"It's cool." I said, still taking it all in. They served coffee but it was definitely still a bookstore, there was a bunch of shelves filled with books and one with VHS tapes and some DVDs.

"I know you don't really like coffee but they also have tea and hot chocolate. And a bunch of history books." Tobias said, tugging me to a table. "Want something to drink?" 

"Do you still insist on paying for me?" I asked. 

"Yea, totally. My treat. It's your birthday in a week, you shouldn't pay." He said. When we met up, Tobias had the little pouch that Rachel had made him from one of our first missions and had apparently months of money saved up that he kept with Rachel.

We walked up the counter with smiles on our faces and holding hands as happy as could be.


	13. AU (Kicked Out)

Jake woke up to the smell of coffee and pancakes. Which had been nice but through the haze of actually waking up, Jake remembered he lived alone and that maybe it was a little weird to smell breakfast being cooked when you weren't the one doing it.

"Who's making breakfast?" Jake asked as he walked down the hall to his kitchen. He figured that some kind of axe murderer wouldn't stop to make breakfast and it was much more likely to be one of his friends.

"Hey, Jake." Tobias said without turning around, flipping a pancake much more neatly than Jake could. "That kettle has boiling water, I figured you'd like some tea. Why exactly do you have everything to make coffee if you don't like it?"

"Everyone else does and the counter looks empty without stuff on it. My mom bought it for me anyway." Jake said, taking out a mug and making himself some tea. Before he could sit down, Tobias had a plate of delicious looking chocolate chip pancakes ready for him. "Thanks. Not to be rude because you just made me breakfast but, uh, why? Also, how? Did I give you a key?"

"Mostly just because." Tobias said, sitting down with his own plate and a cup of coffee. He blushed. "Uh, no. You didn't. Technically I broke in." 

"You did what?" Jake blinked. "Why?"

"Yea, uh, sorry. So, breakfast. I didn't bust your door or anything. I picked the lock." Tobias paused to take a bite of his pancakes. He got up to fill up his mug with coffee and spoon sugar in, continuing his silence. 

As he woke up and could pay more attention to things, Jake could look at Tobias. He moved stiffly and was using his left hand to stir the sugar in. Tobias was right handed. "What happened, Tobias?" Jake asked.

"Uh..." Tobias shuddered. "I got in a fight. With my uncle." 

Jake almost dropped his cup. He knew he was a big guy, something around six feet and over 200 pounds, but he liked to think he was nice. Even gentle. He had only ever seen Tobias' uncle in work boots so he couldn't be sure but Jake thought the man was taller. There were a lot of words to describe Tobias' uncle and none of them were nice. "Are you ok? I mean ok is stupid because you're not but, like, do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Uh, I don't think so. At least I hope not since I don't think I have health insurance." Tobias said.

"What happened?" Jake asked when he realized Tobias wasn't going to elaborate.

"I got back from the bookstore. Like, ok, so last night was rainy and cold when I got out so I had my jacket on so when I put my bike in the garage I was still wearing it. I was hoping since it was past midnight that he'd be asleep when I walked in. But he wasn't." Tobias took another bite of his pancakes. "Basically, I came out. And he wasn't happy."

"I'm so sorry, Tobias." Jake said. Tobias worked second shift at a bookstore so that he could avoid his uncle as much as possible, he was a roofer who worked in the morning. Tobias was also gay and they'd all known for years that he wouldn't be able to come out to his uncle, the jacket was a risk but one Tobias said he wanted to take. It was covered in pride buttons and rainbows and one of Tobias' favorite pieces of clothing. "What can I do to help?" 

"Can I crash here for a bit? I can try and get Cassie to look after Dude for a while if he'll be a problem." Tobias said.

"I'm pretty sure the building is cat friendly. I wouldn't care if it wasn't though. Not that this is good or anything, obviously this totally sucks, but, like, the rent just went up actually. So you can move in. If you want to. At least one of us will know how to cook." 

"Wow, uh, wow. I want to say no but I mean, this is basically my only option. So yea, that would be great. Thank you, Jake." 

"It's really no problem, Tobias. It's not furnished or anything but there's a spare bedroom. We'll have to find a mattress and all that." 

"Jake, that's perfect. Even a couple of blankets would be better than my mattress at his place." 

"When do you want to start moving in?" 

"Well, it's actually only like seven in the morning. And, honestly, I haven't slept since yesterday and i could really use some after I'm done eating. And as soon as possible is gonna be best. My uncle should be at work but i'm kinda freaked out about Dude, I need to make sure he's ok." Tobias said, setting his fork down. "I'm gonna do that now, if that's ok. Take a nap I mean."

"I'll call Rachel and the others, they should be ready before you wake up. That couch can't be comfortable to sleep on, take my bed." Jake said, leading him to his bedroom and ignoring his protests.

"Thank you, Jake. Really." Tobias said, earnestly. He gave Jake a quick hug and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"I'm glad you're finally getting out of there, Tobias." Jake said.


	14. Confessions

"Mom, Dad. I have something to tell you." Rachel announced as she walked into the living room and stepped in front of her parents.

"Oh? What's up?" Her dad asked, raising an eyebrow. For eight years there had been approximately nothing that stood in front of his kid that wasn't overcome and he was very interested in what had obviously just been overcome. 

With hands on her hips and daring them to say anything against it, she told them what she had to say. "I'm a girl and I want you to call me Rachel."


	15. Found Family

<What is that, my shorm?> Ax asked me. He'd just got back from his run and didn't even ask what I was doing here, it was cool that he didn't mind. I wasn't here when he left but I caught an early dinner and had been meaning to read this comic book that Marco had literally thrown at me last week. It was pretty cool.

"It's a comic book. You know Spider-Man and Batman, those guys Marco and Jake talk about? They're from one of these. Not this one though, they're from different universes. Actually, this isn't part of one or the other." I said. 

"<Ah.> Ax said, clearly confused. 

To be fair, that didn't make a lot of sense to me and I know what I meant.

"It's called Stormwatch. It's a group of, well not superheroes exactly. They sort of work for the government. I'm not actually sure they do anymore though. Anyway, they're a group of people with super powers. There're these two guys," I said, flipping back a few pages for a clearer picture of them. I held it up so he could look at it with one eye as he focused on whatever he was doing at his computer.

"They're Midnighter and Apollo. Apollo is the guy with the white hair and Midnighter is the guy in all black. They're dating." I said. It was dumb to be proud of comic book characters I had nothing to do with but I was. Gay superheroes that aren't anything like the stereotypes would have someone believe. "I'm pretty sure they're my favorite." 

<I'm pleased, my shorm.> Ax said, swiveling his eye stalks to smile at me while he typed away.

I could tell he actually was. I wouldn't ever tell him, I couldn't, but it meant a lot to me that he let me talk about stuff that he didn't understand or care about. I'd never had that before. It was just one aspect of being a shorm. Of being a family. 

Ax was family, the most I'd ever had. Because our lives were exceptionally weird, I don't mean that he was like a brother to me. He was my actual probably-not-quite blood uncle. Which is weird even months later. But he's infinitely better than my human uncle, that's for sure.

<You may keep talking about them if you wish.> He said.

"Thanks, Ax-Man."


	16. Fake Dating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of AU/Kicked Out.

Tobias had been staying at Jake's apartment for three months and had three months of peace. He hadn't spoken to his uncle since the day that he told him he was moving out, something he wouldn't have been forced to do if his uncle wasn't homophobic in the first place but now Tobias had stopped caring what his uncle thought. He was finally safe at Jake's and away from his uncle and his aunt, even though she was on the other coast and he hadn't spoken to her in over a year. But that's when he got the phone call. 

He'd gotten back from work at four, a perk of moving out was that he could work in the day instead since he didn't have to avoid his uncle, and the phone rang almost as soon as he walked in. Tobias didn't like to talk on the phone but Jake wouldn't be back for half an hour so he was forced to stomach his anxiety and pick it up. He really wished he hadn't.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Toby, is that you?" 

He almost hung up the phone. Against his better judgment, he had given Jake's number to his uncle in case there was some kind of emergency. Really, he figured his uncle would throw it away. It's not like they liked each other, it had just seemed like something you were supposed to do.

"Hi, Auntie." Tobias swallowed. He hated that nickname but it would only get him yelled at if he brought it up again and he wanted this over as soon as possible.

"Your oaf of an uncle gave me this number and I wasn't sure if it was going to be yours or not. Steve has a business trip but decided it would be a good idea to have me come with him." His aunt said. 

Tobias was glad that he hadn't had to listen to all the yelling that that would've been.

"I don't know who that is, Auntie." Tobias said, exhausted already. She'd kept him out of school for a week at a time just to clean her house before she threw huge parties for her friends and forced him to clean up after them. And of course he'd been confined to his room during it unless she wanted to show off how great a person she was for taking in a 'special needs child like Toby here'. She meant autistic but it's not like she actually cared. He sighed. She certainly didn't care when she yelled at him for 'being weird' when he flapped his hands or cried over a bad texture or too much noise.

"Right, right. Steve's my boyfriend, much better than the last three had been." She said. 

"Paul was ok. He took Dude to the vet and got him toys and all that." Tobias said. 'He also had enough sense to leave after he figured out who you really were' was what he wanted to say but he knew there wouldn't be a point. Tobias didn't really like Paul as a person but he was good to Dude when he couldn't afford to be.

"Oh no, Toby, Paul was ages ok. You were still in high school when he was around. And anyway, Steve isn't going to decide to leave because he thinks I'm unfair to you. You know how Paul was." 

'A decent enough guy.' Tobias rolled his eyes. 

"Did you want something, Auntie?" He asked, trying not to sound rude even though he wished he could. Tobias really didn't want to actually talk to his aunt, if he could expect one thing it was a guilt trip and he hated it.

"Yes, I did. And I would appreciate it if you would show me some respect after all I've done for you with your...needs." His aunt sneered. 

Tobias rolled his eyes and waited for her to get to the reason she called.

"Anyway," she scoffed. "I'm going to be staying at a hotel in the area and there's obviously no reason I should be forced to take a taxi when my nephew lives in the city."

"I have work. And I can't drive." Tobias said. It was blunt and she'd get upset but he was ready for a nap after this conversation.

"Still? I hoped you'd grow out of it by now." 

"You don't grow out of being autistic." 

"Well anyway, I'm sure one your friends would be able to help their friend's aunt. I'll only be in town for a few days and I'll only need you to take me to my hotel. My flight only gets in at six, I'm sure you can find a ride since you obviously get out of work before six. I'll call you later with more details. I'll see you in a week, Toby." She said and hung up.

"Perfect!" He groaned and hung up the phone. "Who the heck am I going to ask?"

Ax couldn't drive either. Marco could and while the threat of getting into a crash was suddenly much more appealing than normal, it probably wasn't the best idea. Cassie was probably too busy with school and helping her parents out; he knew she would do it if he asked but he didn't want to do it at all, let alone impose as much as he would be doing. Rachel maybe? 

"Yea, right. Then I'd have to explain to her mom why she just got a call that her kid's in jail for murder." Tobias said to himself. He had no doubt that Rachel's threats of violence against his relatives weren't empty, she would absolutely hit his aunt. The temporary satisfaction would be greatly outweighed by the avalanche of consequences though so no, he decided he couldn't ask Rachel. 

Which left Jake.

Tobias groaned again. 

Things weren't bad or awkward between them. They were good friends. Which was the problem. Tobias had been pining after Jake for years with no success. No move at all on his part. He was sure Jake would reject him kindly and they could remain close friends but it's not what he wanted. He wanted a boyfriend. He wanted Jake.

Tobias had only just settled in with his latest book by the time Jake walked in, it'd taken him a few minutes after the phone call with his aunt to stuff his feelings back down and those were more important than kicking his shoes off.

"Hey." Jake said, nodding his chin in Tobias' direction before taking off his shoes.

"I have to ask you for a favor." Tobias said, putting his book down and cutting right to the chase. The less he had to talk about it, the better. 

"Ok." Jake said. Dude came running up to for some head scratches, Jake obliged him.

"My aunt called. She's gonna be in town in a week and wanted me to get her from the airport. She's gonna call later with more details. Would you be willing and/or able to do it for me?" Tobias asked. "I can ask one of the others if you can't, it's no problem."

"Yea, if I'm not working then it shouldn't be a problem." Jake said.

"Unfortunately, it's not. She said her flight gets in at six. I'm not sure what day yet." 

"Ok. Well...no, she does sound that bad." Jake said, remembering some of the more wild things he knew about his friend's aunt. "She just wants a ride from the airport, right?" 

"So far. But there's a good chance she'll ask for more or that the hotel is five hours away or something ridiculous like that." Tobias said. "Ugh, Jake, i'm more irritated than I have been in months. It's 'family' I guess, not like either of them earned the word though." 

"No, they didn't." Jake agreed with a frown. Tobias' aunt and uncle were some of the worst people he knew and he hadn't even met his aunt yet.

Five days passed by in relative normalcy before Tobias' aunt called again. Tobias was in the middle of cooking so Jake was the one to pick up.

"Hello?" Jake asked.

"Who's this?"

"This is Jake. Who's speaking?" 

"Is this one of Tobias' friends? Put him on, tell him it's his aunt." She demanded.

"He's busy. I'll be picking you up from the airport, ma'am, if that's what this is about." Jake said. 

Tobias let the sauce sit and turned around to focus on the conversation.

"Oh, well you should've said that." 

Jake raised his eyebrows.

Tobias shrugged. He couldn't hear what his aunt said but he knew that expression.

Jake hung up as soon as he could. "Wow."

"Yea. Sorry you agreed to drive her yet?" 

"It's certainly going to be a trip." 

"You have no idea." Tobias warned.

The days leading up to his aunt's arrival were basically one long anxiety attack. Tobias had an actual attack that morning and was on the verge of having another one as Jake drove them to the airport. Bouncing his leg helped a little. Maybe.

"She told me it's just going to be to the hotel. An hour at most with traffic. We can manage, Tobias." Jake said as he pulled into the parking lot.

"I hope so." The shorter of the two said. 

They didn't have long to wait, Tobias' aunt zeroed in on Tobias almost as soon as she got off the plane.

"Oh good, there you are. Get my bags, Toby." She demanded. 

"Yes, Auntie." Tobias acquiesced, flinching at the nickname.

Jake frowned. Seeing Tobias with his eyes glued to the floor, talking only when spoken to with as few words as possible, practically curled up on himself, and flinching wouldn't have been uncommon in middle or high school. Jake couldn't blame all of it on his aunt because Tobias got like that in big crowds like an airport to but for the past few months, seeing him like that had been uncommon. Tobias was happy. Jake's frown deepened as his stomach soured, seeing Tobias like this again after seeing him happy was...bad. Jake didn't like it. At all.

"Do you have a girlfriend yet, Toby?" His aunt asked, turning around to look at her nephew carrying her luggage for her.

"No, Auntie." 

"I hope you don't still think you're gay. With all the pretty girls out here, I'm sure one would catch your eye." 

Even people in the crowd stared at her.

Tobias opened his mouth to say something but shut it and took a deep breath through his nose. "I'm still gay." He said with a white knuckled grip on his aunt's suitcase.

"I don't see how." She scoffed. "And I'm sure you're fine with this." 

Jake was mildly surprised she spoke to him so it took him a second to come up with a response. "I'm perfectly fine with it, ma'am." He said, tersely. Jake was glad the car was parked close and he was extra glad she got in while they put her bags in the trunk.

"Holy shit, Tobias." He said, shaking his head.

"Yea, I know. Sorry you have to deal with her." He said, looking apologetic even though the worst of it had been directed at him.

"It's...actually, it is a problem. A big problem. She shouldn't treat you like that." Jake slammed his trunk shut.

"Well it's like you said, we just have until the hotel and hopefully she won't call again." Tobias sighed and ran a hand down his face. He slipped into the passenger's seat and closed the door.

Jake got in and started his car up, he didn't want to leave Tobias' aunt alone with him even if he was ready to scream.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Jake? Maybe you can introduce Tobias to a nice girl." 

An idea came to him and he couldn't stop himself from blurting it out. "Tobias and I are dating, actually." Jake lied. He got quite a bit of satisfaction seeing her sneer from the rear view. 

"Jake!" Tobias hissed, eyes about to bulge out if his head and face as red as a tomato. Even though he was embarrassed and even a little angry, the smile that Jake gave him made his stomach flip and even more flustered. 

"It's ok, Tobias." Jake said. As obviously as he could, he held Tobias' hand and ran his thumb over his knuckles.

It was with a great force of will that Tobias didn't gasp from the contact. He knew Jake was just making his aunt mad, and doing a really good job of it, and as much as Tobias would've melted under better circumstances, he knew this was all fake. On one hand, he wasn't willing to risk his friendship with Jake. On another, he was so shocked by everything that he couldn't speak.

"Unbelievable." Tobias' aunt scowled. "I can't believe this, Toby. I raised you better than this."

The only reason Jake didn't stop the car right then was because there was a guy tailgating him and he wasn't angry enough to not care about that damage. But he was getting really, really close. "I'm glad he's gay but it had nothing to do with how you raised him, if you can call it that." Jake snapped. His parents had taught him to be respectful but Marco's mom taught him to throw that respect out the window of a moving car if someone deserved it and Tobias' aunt absolutely deserved it. "I think you were awful to Tobias and he deserves much better than you or his uncle. I'm taking you to your hotel as a favor for Tobias, my boyfriend, not you. It'd be best when, after we drop you off, you don't call him again."

"How dare you!? Your mother would be ashamed at how disrespectful you are, if she even talks to either of you for being such fags." 

"Nope. No way. You don't get to use that word and you sure as fuck don't get to call me or Tobias it." Jake swore, furious. He'd been planning on stopping for gas but it could wait. This couldn't. "Out. Now."

"Excuse me?" 

"Fuck no." Jake said, getting out and slamming his door. He was so livid he was almost trembling. 

"Wow." Tobias said, staring at him as he closed his door.

"Sorry. I just...I couldn't do nothing. You've been miserable for a week, you were freaked out in the airport, she mistreated you for years and then that? No way. You've been doing so much better since you moved in and I couldn't let her screw with you like that." Jake explained. "And sorry for the fake dating thing. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, it just came out." 

"No, uh, it's fine. Thanks. She's not gonna talk to me for a long time. Hopefully not for another year at least. You didn't make me uncomfortable either." Tobias said with a blush.

"I'm trying to get her bags but I can't get my keys to work." Jake huffed. It was the third time he tried to get his key in but it wasn't working for him.

"I've got it, Jake. Thank you." Tobias said. He took the keys from Jake and couldn't ignore how his hand felt against his own. He opened the trunk and they took out his aunt's bags. Tobias was feeling a lot more relaxed about the whole situation than he thought he would. He was just...done. It felt as good as Jake's hand holding his did.

They took her bags out and Jake opened her door for her. "Here's five bucks for the taxi, that should cover it. The hotel isn't far. Bye." Jake waited only long enough for Tobias to get buckled before he drove out of the parking lot. If his aunt had said something than he hadn't heard her and it was for the best.

"You're much stronger than I am for being able to put up with her for as long as you did, Tobias. I have no idea how you did it." Jake said once they got back home. He'd been too angry to talk on the ride back but sitting on the couch with Tobias seemed to break the spell.

"Differently." Tobias laughed.

Jake looked at him before joining in, releasing the most stressful half hour from his system with manic giggles. "I just, wow. Wow."

"I can't believe you actually did that." Tobias said once he was done laughing. Jake giggled again and Tobias started another round of laughter.

"You're cute." Jake grinned, face flushed from laughter. "I like your laugh."

"Thanks. I like your laugh to." Tobias blushed. "You're really cute to."

"You know what would've really pissed off your aunt?" Jake asked.

"No, what?" Tobias asked.

"If I had kissed you." Jake said.

"Yea." Tobias squeaked.

"Could I?" 

"Could you what?"

"Kiss you? Can I kiss you?" 

"To make my aunt mad?" Tobias frowned. He wanted to kiss Jake a whole heck of a lot but not just to make his aunt mad.

"No." Jake grinned and leaned in. "To kiss you. We're basically already dating. You already moved in."

"Then yea, you can totally kiss me." Tobias grinned back.

Jake cupped the smaller boy's cheek and leaned down. Their lips met. It was soft but not tentative, chaste but not without passion.

"Wow." Tobias breathed. "That was everything I imagined."

"Everything?" Jake asked playfully.

"Well, there's a bit more." Tobias admitted, biting his lip.

"To be bold as hell, I have a bed. We could use it to talk about what you'd imagined. Or not talk. If you want." Jake said, blushing. That was definitely something he was borrowing from Marco.

"Yea, we could do that. Talk. Or not." 

"So much for the fake part." Jake said as he lead Tobias, by the hand, to his bedroom.

"Yea." Tobias said. He kissed Jake's jaw. "We can talk about it later. If you want."

"We can talk later." Jake kissed Tobias on the lips again.

"Yea." Tobias kissed him back.

"Yea." Jake said. He kissed him on the neck.

They stopped talking.

 


	17. Movie Night

<Hey, Fearless Leader. How was school?> I asked Jake as I flew down to perch on his windowsill. I'd been too busy sightseeing today to fly over the school like I usually did. Even though I saw it all the time, something about the sight of the city today held me captive and I spent most of it just flying aimlessly. Now it was late, a little past 7:30 according to some guy's digital watch I saw on the way here.

"I got an 80 on that math test from the other day. Thanks for that." Jake said from his bed, looking at me without getting up. "You should come in." 

<Sure.> I said. I'd figured out the answers and Jake had been too tired from our latest mission to refuse my help. Tom was in his bedroom but it was still risky for me to stay in his window like that, we never knew who could be watching. <What's up?>

"Nothing really." Jake said, sitting up slowly, like it cost him a lot of energy. It probably did. "Could you turn the tv on so I don't sound like I'm talking to myself?"

<Sure.> I said. I'd landed close enough to it that all I had to do was turn my head to press the power button with my beak.

The second it came on I realized I had to morph. Too much noise, too much light. <Ugh.> Thankfully the tv made the noise of my bones shifting less awful.

"Sorry about that." Jake said as he got up and lowered the volume. "I can't remember what I was watching but it was softer than normal. I think. I can't really remember the last time I turned this on."

"It's ok." I said. We were standing really close to each other and now, without a mission hanging over our heads, I could enjoy that. "You know, I'd forgotten this. I know it's only been a week or two but I always forgot how tall this body is. You're usually a lot taller than me." 

"I'm a lot taller than you now." Jake looked down at me with a half smile. "And you're usually a bird."

"I think I remember." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Wanna watch a movie?" Jake asked.

"Yea, sure. Could you set a timer though?" I asked as I settled myself on his bed. Spending time with Jake would be worth the extra flapping it would take to get to my meadow without any thermals.

"On it." Jake said. He walked over to his desk and brought over a kitchen timer. "I'll set it for an hour." Jake started it and sat it on the side of his bed closest to the window.

"Thanks." I said. 

"What do you want to watch?" He asked. "Something on tv or a VHS?"

"I don't mind, whatever." 

"Tv it is." He said, grabbing the remote from his desk before laying on his bed.

I took the rare opportunity and cuddled up next to him. We'd been dating for a little while but we didn't get a lot of chances to cuddle. The hawk part of me wasn't happy about it but I ignored it, it felt better than the amount the hawk was uncomfortable.

"Tobias?" Jake asked.

"Hnn, what?" I asked.

"You fell asleep. It's only been a half hour though." Jake said.

"Oh. I didn't realize I was that tired." I said. I didn't even realize I'd been tired at all. One second I was talking to Jake and another I guess I woke up. I rolled over so I was looking up at him.

"You can go back to sleep if you want. I know it's difficult in the woods." Jake frowned. He still blamed himself.

"Thanks, Jake." I said. I was too tired to explain it again even if it would help him. Not that it was going to.

"No problem, Tobias. Enjoy your nap."


	18. OT6

"Why am I not surprised." Rachel said as she walked in with Ax and Cassie, arms laden with shopping bags, to see Marco, Jake, and Tobias all on the couch reading comic books. "You're all nerds." 

"This is fine literature, actually." Marco said without taking his eyes off the page. "I think it counts as a classic if the character was made forever ago."

"That's so not how it works." She said, rolling her eyes. "Some of this is food, can we get some help?" 

"Hey, where do you two think you're going? I was comfortable!" He complained as Jake and Tobias untangled themselves from their cuddle pile.

"No reason I can't get up and help. My arm was going numb anyway." Tobias shrugged as he put down his comic book.

"See if you get a kiss later." Marco grumbled and followed the both of them off the couch.

"I'm sure Tobias can find someone else to kiss him. See?" Rachel said before bending down to kiss the shorter blonde on the forehead. She loved being even taller in heels.

"It's kind of an empty threat when most of us are dating each other." Jake said, kissing Tobias' temple.

"Alright, alright." Marco waved them off and helped put the new pans away. "You know, at least I can cook."

"Shut the fuck up, Marco." Rachel said. She and Ax were learning to cook and they'd accidentally ruined a few of their pans.

"Did you buy anything that's actually edible?" He asked, looking at a bag of eggplants and grimacing.

"Vegetables are very edible." Cassie said.

"I wholeheartedly disagree."

"So you don't want home eggplant parmigiana?" She asked.

"Ok, you can't deep fry a vegetable, cover it in sauce and cheese, and call it a vegetable anymore. That can't be healthy and that's the whole point of a vegetable."

"Well-"

"Stop right there. I think our ears are still bleeding from the last time." He said, covering his ears for dramatic effect.

"Ok." She said, raising her hands in a show of peace.

"I love you babe, but an hour rant on vegetables would be a bit much. At least last time it was about capitalism and the mistreatment of workers." Rachel said, kissing her cheek.

Ax nodded. "Yes, that was interesting. I would like to hear your thoughts about vegetables."


	19. School

"Ugh." Tobias hissed as his palms scraped across the floor, all his books and folders were scattered but it was better than slamming his chin against the tiles and breaking his teeth.

"Loser." Whoever tripped him laughed as they walked away.

Tobias was too busy picking up papers and putting them in the right folder to see who it was. And making sure he wasn't literally kicked while he was down. He was used to it by now, it was always better to just try and grab everything he dropped before people stepped on it or him.

Someone crouched down across from his spilled books and picked them up along with the loose papers and folders on their side. "Here you go." They said, holding them out to him once they'd collected them all.

He looked up. "Oh." Tobias had never seen a prettier boy in his whole life, even on tv. He was so struck by the way his hair, glossy and chestnut brown, framed his eyes that it took him a second to realize he was supposed to take his stuff back. His eyes were the kind of eyes people wrote poems about and Tobias didn't think he could be faulted for staring. "You're really pretty." He said as he balanced everything back in his arms.

Tobias wasn't sure who was more embarrassed. The taller boy's face was really pink but Tobias was pretty sure his face was as hot as molten lava, he had absolutely meant to keep that in his head.

"Uh, thanks. I don't think anyone's called me that before." The boy grinned. "Do you need a hand up?" Without waiting for an answer, he took Tobias by the elbow and helped him stand.

Tobias' elbow tingled but he wasn't sure if it was because he banged his elbow on the way down or because of the hand on it. "I'm Tobias." He said as he tried not to smile back, a difficult task with how cute the other boy looked.

"My name's Jake."


	20. Music

"You don't care if I put on music, right?" Rachel asked, looking up from the words swimming across her textbook to look into the golden raptor eyes of her boyfriend. Her life was weird.

<It's your bedroom.> He said, shifting on his perch- an empty jewelry stand Rachel sat out for him. They'd been working on her history homework, questions from the end of the chapter they were reading. It was about Joan of Arc and that period of France, Tobias could tell he was more interested than Rachel was.

"Obviously." She said. As she got up, she ran a knuckle down his soft, feather clad, neck. Rachel laughed as he smiled at her. "What?"

<Nothing. It just seems like you'd do better with a cat than a hawk. Cats like being pet, hawks not so much.> 

"You're not an actual hawk. You like it, don't you?" 

<I don't know. A little. Maybe. It's hard to tell sometimes.> He admitted. <What music are you going to play?>

"No idea, I just need a break from history. I've got your Radiohead cd if you want to listen to that." Rachel offered.

<Nah, that's ok. It's up to you. You're the one who wanted to listen to music.>

"Kill a girl for offering."

<Oh, sorry. I didn't mean->

"It was a joke, bird brain."

<Ok.>

Rachel crouched down in front of her stereo and cd collection, she really had no idea what she wanted to listen to besides some kind of music. She closed her eyes and ran her finger across the sides of the cds and stopped, opening them to see she landed on a cd she had burned of mostly Blondie songs. "This works."

<Blondie? Who are they?>

"How do you not know who Blondie is? They were huge. Glass Heart, I'm Gonna Getcha, Rapture. You've got to know one of those. It's not like they're new." Rachel said, shaking her head when she realized that he really had no clue. "I'll skip around to one of my favorite songs by them. It's from a movie with Richard Gere, I think anyway. That's one of the reasons I decided to burn the cd in the first place, they haven't realized an album with this song besides that movie's soundtrack." She turned her stereo on and put the cd in then flipped the case over to remember what number the song was. Rachel was glad she'd thought ahead and wrote down what songs were on it and in what order.

"You should morph." Rachel said as the opening cords to the song played. "This is Call Me." Before Debbie Harry could started signing, Rachel paused the song. "C'mon. Morph."

<I'd prefer not to, Rachel. What if your mom or sisters walked in?> Tobias asked. Definitely a concern but not his biggest. Being human made him uncomfortable and being human and alone with Rachel in her bedroom seemed like it would make him extra uncomfortable.

<The door's been locked for hours, Tobias, you saw me do it. Just this one song?" Rachel pleaded. She watched as his feathers bristled and he shifted on his perch. "Please?"

<Ok. I can do it for this one song.> Tobias nodded in a very human like way and fluttered down to her carpet to morph. It didn't take long although it never really was more than a few minutes, he thought it could feel like longer than that. "So, human." He said, awkwardly rubbing his arm. 

"I can tell. You're cuter like this. Now, music." Rachel pressed play and smiled as he blushed. She took his hand. "Dance with me?"

"Is this a song people dance to?" Tobias faltered and took his hand back. 

"Sure. It can be if we dance to it." Rachel said, taking his hand back in hers.

"I don't know how to dance." He protested.

"It's ok. It won't be serious or anything." Rachel smiled at him and grabbed his other hand.

Tobias swallowed. He didn't know what to say, let alone what to do. Thankfully, Rachel knew what she wanted to do. Which still left him feeling awkward but maybe a little less awkward. He was stiff and awkward, always so awkward as a human, but he let Rachel tug on his arms. Back and forth she tugged while she swung her hips. Tobias didn't think it counted as dancing but he wasn't going to tell her that. "It's not bad, the song. I don't remember hearing it before though."

"I'm glad you like it." She said as she stopped dancing. It was painfully obvious that Tobias wasn't interested. "So, no dancing then." Rachel didn't let to of him though.

"Sorry." 

"This next part is the best." Rachel said. Than she began to sing along to it, softly so that she didn't drown out the song. "Cover me with kisses, baby. Cover me with love." She trailed off, it was all she wanted to sing. She wasn't very good anyway. And she got what she wanted. Tobias was blushing magnificently, redder than an apple, and she loved it.

"Uh, wow. Um, is that...do you?" Tobias couldn't talk, couldn't even think, as that line drummed in his head and his face was on fire.

"Do you want to?" Rachel asked, leaning a little closer, her hands finding purchase on his waist.

"Yea. Maybe not...all that." Tobias cursed his tongue. "A kiss would be nice, Rachel."

"Good." Rachel grinned. She leaned down, close enough to see the flecks of color in his eyes and feel his breath against her cheek. Tobias raised his chin to close the gap between their lips and her knees almost buckled. The taller blonde stumbled and pushed and their lips slid against each others, it was an accident biting down on his bottom lip. The first time anyway. The second and third time were very much on purpose.

 


	21. Pets

Tobias was miserable. In other words, Tobias was Tobias. He'd been through another school day which had been awful except for English with Mr. Feyroyan. And Rachel, Tobias couldn't forget about her. They weren't friends, not even someone you nodded to in the hall on the way to class. But she was smart, he'd never seen her get less than a B. And she was nice to just about everyone, he probably imagined it but it seemed to him that, on the way to her seat, she smiled at him. He thought she had a very pretty smile. Rachel was very pretty in general.

Even eating another gross dinner with his uncle in his dingy kitchen, thinking about Rachel helped. His good mood came crashing down on him. 'I'm such a creep.' Tobias kept his face as neutral as he could since he didn't want to give his uncle a reason to be mad but he scowled at himself. 'You're so pathetic, no wonder she's not friends with you.'

"I'm finished, uncle." He muttered, putting his crust down. Grilled cheese would've been fine if it hadn't been burnt. And if there hasn't been a tomato slice in it. Tobias' spine crawled at the thought. He could barely stomach it. He'd almost cried at how bad it felt but he didn't want to upset his uncle, he had enough bruises from the bullies at school and the cigarette burn on his arm was almost healed. So he stomached it as best he could. At least the water helped with the taste, even if he'd have to tap into his secret food supply so his mouth didn't feel so wrong.

"Gimme a beer." His uncle ordered before he drank the last of his fourth beer of the night. "And toss this one."

Wordlessly, Tobias tossed his crusts into the trash and washed his plate. He threw out his uncle's beer and replaced it with one from the bottom shelf of the fridge which was crowded with beer cans and beer bottles. The familiar crack and hiss of his uncle opening the can followed him as he walked up the stairs to his bedroom. His tongue slid across his teeth as he walked. He really needed something ok to eat.

"Thief." Tobias said to his sleeping cat. The striped cat was curled up on his pillow like Tobias hadn't set out a blanket specifically for him in a box that he liked. Tobias crouched down in front of his bureau and slid out his top draw so he could open the small bag of food he had. A small bag of pretzels, a chocolate and caramel candy bar he had opened a few days ago, and a small jar of peanuts. He had to save every loose quarter he could find for almost a month to afford them.

The sound of the chocolate bar wrapper being peeled back got Dude's attention. The long grey and black striped cat, a pattern that held throughout his fur except for his feet which were solid black, raised his head at the noise. "Rrrrow." He yawned and clawed Tobias' pillow even more as he stretched.

"You can't have any, Dude." Tobias said before he sat on his bed and popped off a square. Definitely better than tomato.

Dude's mismatched eyes stared up at him while he walked over and demanded to be pet. He walked over Tobias' lap in a circle, laid down for all of three seconds before rolling over and showing off his stomach, then got up again and head butted the hand closest to him with his eyes closed and what Tobias was sure was a cat smile.

"I'll pet you but you're not getting any of this, it'll make you sick. I think. Just to be safe, no." He said, scratching behind his ears before running his hand down his back and to the tip of his tail. Dude was purring as loud as an engine before Tobias got halfway down his back. Tobias smiled, it was impossible not to with a cat purring in your lap. He liked dogs sure, Homer was alright the one time he'd been over Jake's house for a picnic, but he was confident that you couldn't beat a cat as a pet.

Really though, Dude wasn't a pet. Not to him anyway. Dude had been his best friend, really his only friend, for years. The only human friends he had were Professor Powers, a nice old woman who lived near his aunt on the east coast that he saw maybe a total of two weeks out a year, Mr. Feyroyan his English teacher, and Jake who at least let him pretend he had a friend his own age. So Dude was way more than a pet. On good days, Tobias thought they could both live without each other but that their lives were a lot easier with each other. On bad days...Tobias didn't like anything about bad days.

Dude made a clicking sound all of a sudden and he was out of his lap and in the air in a second. Tobias watched him bat a fly out of the air and eat it.

"That's so gross." Tobias said. They might've been best friends but he was glad they had massively different diets.


	22. Elijah and the Chee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Animorphs/Planetary crossover. I honestly can't imagine there's another person into both. Oh well.

"So, what are you?" Elijah asked, fumbling with his match. To anyone else it might look like the winter cold was bothering him but it wasn't that, the cold could never bother him. It was the chase, the knowledge just around the corner. He was due to publish another guide soon but he'd already agreed to leave them out of it, he blamed his age for his growing sentimentality. Or maybe it was just prudence, it claimed they were hard wired pacifists but he wouldn't be surprised if the Four had a way of reprogramming them.

"We are called the Chee." It said.

"Create yourselves or someone else do it? Finally, damned matches." He grumbled as his match finally took and he could take a drag of his cigarette.

"We were created by our masters the Pemalites. We have outlived them."

"Technology for you. How long you been on Earth?"

It smiled. Or, he thought, it's hologram did. "Much longer than you have lived, Mr. Snow. One of us was Moses' law professor."

"Hmm." He watched the smoke blow into the cool night air. "What's their connection to dogs? Convergent evolution or interbreeding?"

"Not quite the latter. We preserved the souls of the Pemalites into the ancestors of modern dogs. I believe it would've made them happy."

"Cute." He scoffed. "Are you collecting data on the human race or are you just bored?"

"I could ask the same of you and your organization, Mr. Snow."

"Maybe, it's a weird world after all." He flicked his cigarette toward the robot, the once burning paper landing at its feet frozen solid.


	23. Pumpkin

"These taste nothing like pumpkin but they are amazing." Marco said, sipping his pumpkin spiced latte and tipping his chair back.

"Ah! It is hot!" Ax said, alarmed. 

"I got it." Rachel swooped in and held back his coffee quick enough that he didn't spill a drop and ruin his shirt. "I'm not going to let you and food ruin a perfectly good shirt, especially not one you've been wearing for less than an hour."

"At this point I'm not sure if she's more concerned with the shirt or the coffee." Marco stage whispered to Jake.

"Bite me. Pumpkin spice coffee is in and I'm not letting anyone of you go without having some." Rachel said for what felt like the millionth time. She'd forced all of them to the local coffee shop and ran the risk of having Ax and Tobias morph human and everything that entailed, as her cousin kept reminding her. She sipped her latte with extreme satisfaction, the latte was delicious and since she was sitting across from her boyfriend, she could ogle him all she liked.

"It's not that good. It tastes like...I don't know what it tastes like but it's definitely not pumpkin. It still seems like too much of a big deal for coffee." Jake said, taking another sip anyway.

"And that's why I got you a small." Rachel told him. "Here, Ax. Go slow. Or wait until it's cooled a bit. I'm sure you'll like it." She sat his coffee back down on the table in front of him. Then she turned her attention to her best friend. "Cassie?"

"I'm with Jake, Rachel. It's just coffee. The milk and the foam make it better but the spices are just," Cassie shrugged.

"You're both hopeless. But again, that's why you both got smalls. You should like them but it's fine if you don't, if you must both be heathens." Rachel said, waving them off with as much drama as she could muster.

"This is really good actually." Tobias said before he finished his latte. He had been taking small but quick sips since he got it a few minutes ago and was the first one done. 

"At least some of us have good taste." 

Jake snorted. "Here then." He took off the lid of his cup and poured it in Tobias'. 

"Oh. Cool. Thanks, Jake." Tobias eye smiled at him.

"You can have mine to." Cassie said, passing it to Jake who passed it to Tobias.

"Thank you, Cassie." 

"You're welcome, Tobias."

"These are wonderful!" Ax exclaimed before slamming his latte down on the table with enough force to cause all the coffee inside to come erupting out. 

"Rachel!" Marco shrieked as he was promptly covered in pumpkin spice latte.

 


	24. Hork-Bajir

<Controlling you again will be so fun, you stupid creature.>

<Yeerk!> I spat.

<Hate me all you want, I control this body and when I get promoted to sub-visser another yeerk will control you. Yeerks are the best thing to happen to you primitive monsters.>

Yeerk Hork-Bajir hold me down. Pain as Yeerk out. Yeerk in pool. Other Hork-Bajir take me to cell. Lock cell. Kalashi in cell. We hug and sit. They go.

RUN.

Voice in head!

"Efnud?" I ask head voice.

YES, JARA HAMEE AND KET HALPAK. RUN. FREEDOM AWAITS.

"How? How will Jara Hamee and Ket Halpak be free?" I ask head voice.

I WILL SEND A GUIDE.

"Muragg, Kalashu?" Ket Halpak ask.

I shake head. Head voice show flying animal.

YOUR GUIDE WILL FIND YOU AND YOU WILL BE FREE.

Then cell darkap.

I push cell. Ket Halpak and I run. Fast.

"Hey!" Human shout.

Yeerk Hork-Bajir yell. Free Hork-Bajir yell in cell. Yeerk and free humans yell.

"Harr gurfass!" Yeerk Hork-Bajir shout. "Gafrash!"

"Stop them!"

We run. Run and run. Head voice show me where to go. Kalashi follow. Run still. Then find metal tree. Climb metal tree fast. Hit ground above. Ground moves. Mother Sky greets Jara Hamee and Ket  Halpak.

SKREEEET! SKREEEET! SKREEEET!

More Yeerks!

I grab kalashi and hold close. She run away. I run away.

<Hey. Hork-Bajir down there.>

I not understand. I look up at Mother Sky to see flying animal.

<You're about ten seconds away from being dead. Listen to me and you just might get out of this alive.> It say.

Guide! Head voice bring guide! Fellana, head voice! Fellana! Will be free! Jara Hamee and Ket Hal-pak free!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kalashi/Kalashu- Wife/Husband
> 
> Efnud- Do you want me
> 
> Muragg- Out of control
> 
> Darkap- Fail
> 
> Harr gurfass- Shoot there
> 
> Gafrash- Kill
> 
> Fellana- Thank you


	25. Halloween

<Hey. You ready to go out?> Rachel asked me. She even flew in low so I wasn't freaked out by seeing a big bald eagle come blaring in through my territory. She'd been excited for Halloween for a while.

<Yea.> I said. I liked Halloween, at least in theory. I'd never really done the whole trick or treating thing though. At least not in people's houses. There was a few times the school would do a thing during the day but that was it. And even now it wasn't going to be normal. I was afraid a costume would be too complicated and Rachel didn't want to spend the time painting my face only to have to do it while we were out after I demorphed.

And to top it all off, I had flown around town earlier. Just because I could, being a bird definitely had its perks. While I was flying, I overheard people talking. Normally I don't pay attention or anything, though sometimes a little kid will get all excited seeing a bird and I might humor them a little. Anyway, I overheard this kid about my age talking to their dad about a space battle on tv and it really hit home. Stuff like that, kids talking to their parents, didn't usually bother me. I'd had years to deal with not having parents to talk to after all. But if I'd had the chance, well, maybe my dad would've told me about some of the things he'd seen.

Instead, with the life I've lead, he did. Somehow. As I was being tortured, as I lay dying, Elfangor came to me. Elfangor, the Andalite prince who had told us about a secret invasion and given myself and a group of kids I wasn't even actually friends with the ability to morph. Elfangor, the alien we saw eaten alive. My father.

He'd shown me memories. His memories. Things he'd done, battles he'd gone through, and told me not to give up. So I didn't and I won. For the most part. I was alive at least. Alive and going trick or treating of all things with Rachel and our friends, the animorphs.

<What's up?> Rachel asked, pulling me out of my reverie. She was perched on a tree nearby. I hadn't even seen her land.

<Just thinking.> I said. I'd been replaying those memories in my head for hours, over and over again. I never told her about what I saw and I only mentioned seeing them to Ax, never actually what happened in them. I'm not even sure why. They weren't really mine or anything but I still felt possessive over them.

<About what? Do you not like the costume idea?> Rachel asked, concerned more for me than the costume. She was going as a witch and I was her familiar, it had been Cassie's idea.

<No, that's not it. I still think it's a good idea, I like it.> I said, shaking my head.

<Is it a good thinking or a bad kind?> She asked.

<I'll tell you on the way.> I offered.

<I bet I can get there first.> She laughed, sure and bold and intoxicating once again.

<What'll you do when I win?> I asked as I flapped off my branch, pushing for altitude. Rachel was bigger but I had a heck of a lot more experience.

<Cocky tonight, huh?> She laughed again. <When I win, I think I'll make you morph human so I can kiss you.>

If Rachel got to the barn first it was only because I let her win.


End file.
